What are the features of 18th century English literature?

                  Eighteenth Century in English Literature

The eighteenth century in England is called the classical age or the Augustan age in literature .it is also called the age of good sense or age of reason. though the Dryden belonged to the seventeenth century, he is also included in classical or Augustan age, as during his time the characteristics of his age had manifested themselves and he himself represented them to a great extent. Other great literary figures who dominated this age successively were pope and Dr. Johnson , and so the classical age is divided into three distinct periods. The age of Dryden, pope and Dry Johnson. in this chapter which is devoted to the eighteenth –century literature in England, we will deal with the ages of pope Johnson. the age of Dryden has already been dealt with in the preceding chapter entitled THE RESTORATION PERIOD ..

 The eighteenth century is called the classical age in English literature on account of three reasons.

                                                                                                   

  In the first place, the term ‘classic’ refers in general, applies to writes oh the highest rank in any nation. this term was first applied to the works of the great Greek and Roman writers like Homer and Virgil. as the writers of eighteenth in England tries to follow the simple and noble methods of the great ancient writers, they began to be called classical writers.

  In the second place, in every national literature there is a period when a large number of writers produce works of great merit; such a period or age. for example, the reign of Augustus is called the classical age of Rome; and the age of Dante is called the classical age of Italian literature. As during the eighteenth century in England there was an abundance pf literary productions the critics named it the classical age in English literature.

  In third place, during this period the English writers rebelled against the exaggerated and fantastic style of writing prevalent ages, and they demanded that poetry, drama and prose should follow exact rules. In this they were influenced by French writers, especially by BOILEAU and RAPIN, who insisted on precise methods of writing poetry, and who professes to have discovered their rules in the classical of Horace and Aristotle.

  The eighteenth century is called the classical age because the writer followed the classicism of the ancient writes which was taken in a narrow sense to imply fine polish and external elegance. but as the eighteenth century writers in England followed the ancient classical writers only in their external performance, and lacked their sublimity and grandeur their classicism is called pseudo-classicism its example false or sham classicism.

                                                     As the term classical age is their fore too dignified for writer of the eighteenth century in England who imitated only the outward trapping of the ancient classical writers and could not get at their inner spirit. This age is preferably called the Augustan age. this term was chosen by the writer of the eighteenth century themselves who saw in pope, Addison, swift, Johnson and burke the modern parallels to Horace, Virgil, cicero, and other brilliant writers who made roman literature famous during the reign of emperor Augustan age is also not justified because the writers of this period could not compare favorably with those of the Augustan age in Latin literature. but these terms the classical age and the august on age have become current, and so this age is generally called by these terms.

 Another important thing which is to be considered with regard to the eighteenth century literature is that it was only during the early part of it – the age of the pope, that the classical rules and ideals reigned supreme. In the later part of it – the age Johnson – cracks began to appear in the edifice of the classicism, in the form of revolts against its ideals, and a revival of the romantic tendency which was characteristic of the Elizabethan period.

As the eighteenth century is a long period, it will be dealt with in different chapters entitled – The age of pope, the age of Johnson, eighteenth century novel and eighteenth century drama.